Crazy days

So I'm outside with the boys today, and Dylan climbs up onto the slope in our yard to pick me a flower... he's up there for about 2 minutes, and he comes back and says "I need a bandaid for my owie"...I look at his arm and discover a damn snakebite! I'm freaking out because he said he couldn't feel it and the only snakes I've ever seen around our house are rattlers. It starts to get real red and swell and I had no idea what to do... ice? a bandage? All I knew is that if it was a rattler there might be some ugliness coming. Well, long story short I got on the horn with the hospital... they went through a bunch of questions...told me to keep a close eye on him...told me what to watch for...and luckily none of that real ugly stuff ever happened. This pic was taken about 6 hours after the bite, no more swelling or redness. But a real big lesson learned about living in a more rural area....and sadly this was the lessor of terrible things to happen today...but I can't even begin to get into the other. Thhhpppt on today.

However, this weekeng Hubby & I hosted a wine tasting party that was an absolute blast. Here are a few pics... Lots of cheeses to try...

lots of mingling....

LOTS of wine :)

Friends Byron & Laura.

The girls of Colden Crown Way, Bonny & I.

Bonny goes for a quick nap while Hubby talks up some of the local wine...

Tom, Donaldo & Bonnie havin' a great time! We really can't wait to do it again... that was just too much fun!

Okay, I HAVE to get back to painting. Our youngest, Bodie, has had major ear infections in both ears... so there hasnt' been much sleep around here. Subsequently, not much work getting done either ;)

For a long while now I've been wanting to make little signs to hang around our backyard. I originally thought about painting directly onto the fence itself... but hesitated with the thought of the elements ravaging it. Instead, I decided to make a sign I could hang... and then just take inside when the weather gets rough. So here's the first sign to grace our backyard... an ode to my sweet little family :)

I did it the other night while I was sick, so I wasn't sure how it was going to go... but I like it.

I got some good ink in "Deadbeat Magazine", this awesome Australian publication... just got my copy this weekend and was blown away by the quality of it...

Not only some seriously gorgeous photography, but the color, the thickness & weight of the paper it's printed on... all top notch. I am really flattered to be a part of this issue.



it's a quarterly mag, which I always find nice... plus there are some insanely amazing cars and chicks in this bad-boy! Thank you Sarah, for contacting me about this! I need to get to painting on for the Russ Meyers tribute show at MModern Gallery... but first, some sleep after last nights' lost "blankie" fiasco. Oh, and big Congrats to the Soto's on welcoming their new little one into the World today! Yay Natalie Rose!!!!

City Pages

I did the cover for this week's City Pages in MN, and had so much fun doing this illustration! I think the type at the bottom of the page really capped it off.
also did an interior illo to accompany the story. Wanted to do a blacklight poster kind of thing.

The boys have been keeping me busy. It's cool though, they're really starting to learn to play together and are having a lot of fun with each other. Here they are pretending to take a nap in Dyl's bed. Bodie looks as confused over the date stamp as I was... Mom hooked me up with her camera after mine recently broke... but I just now figured out how to get that stamp off. Thanks again, Ma!
We have a new park in the area that just opened up so I've been taking the boys on a walk every morning and ending it at the park. Here's Bodie and his little homie Noah. Noah's Mom and I go walking together on Tuesdays & Thursdays... so they have been getting their playdate on!
Okay... there was no sleep to be had here last night, so I'm going to hit the hay, after I finish my wine of course! Nite all!

Bonzai!

Commission for a good friend of the fam, JB Clegg

some art...

For an upcoming show entitled "Le Petit Morte" in IN.
My piece is 10" x 10" and called "The Moment After" Acrylic & gold leaf on wood.

And now... it's on to J.B.'s piece. He's a good friend of the family that wanted to somehow mix his love for martial arts with drag racing. Here's my sketch... now on to paint!

Love is in the Air

Happy Valentine's Day to you all! Me and Hubby are celebrating our fourth wedding anniversary today... and its' also the 12th anniversary of our first date. Love ya Hon!
It's been nice and chilly here in Yucaipa with these winter storms coming through. We keep getting occassional snow flurries.... which are fun for the boys and just beautiful to look out the windows and see!
This little hummingbird was sitting in our Wisteria tree watching me and the boys... and the snow falling.

Dylan showing off his snowflake catching skills.

So I've been meaning to put up pictures from the opening of the "Pin It Up Babycakes" show. Absolutely the most fun I've ever had at an opening! To make it even better though, our good friends Sloan & Joseph met us up there. Here we all are in one of the rooms before leaving for the show.

Here's me & Honey by my artwork inside 111 Minna Gallery. Emma Mount's amazing work is to the right.

A shot from inside. I took these earlier in the evening, by the time the show was in full swing the place was packed.

Sloan & Joseph sitting by my paintings.

Artist Christine Benjamin and myself. Photo courtesy of Christine.

Artists Ben Walker & Michael Slack came to peep out the festivities. I'd had a few beers at that point...

We staked out a table right in front for the burlesque show. Here's Bombshell Betty, Jessica Whiteside and another dancer, pre-pasties...

This gal was a blast to watch! She made me want to own a pair of feather fans!

This was the first burlesque show I'd ever been to... and I can now say I'm hooked.

All shapes & sizes... playful, cheeky and wonderfully sexy!

Alice Stribling and Jessica Whiteside, the brains behind the magical evening, thanks the crowd for coming out!

Me & Sloan before heading back to the Hotel

So much fun!

Still finishing last minute business for the "Pin It Up Babycakes" show. I was really happy with how this painting one came out. "Puffing the Magic Dragon" is 12" x 36", acrylic on wood. I'm slowly trying to start working a little bigger... and I think it might really help move my art forward a little bit. Change is good.

A close up...

the scrollwork...
And here's a small piece called "Sucky It Up" 4" x 6" She's in a cute little frame as well. I decided with the times, I should probably do a few smaller, more affordable pieces for the show.


"Princess Corsets"

Still have two more little pieces to finish up, then ship everything out *hopefully* on Saturday.We recently took the boys up to Camp Wrightwood for the day to get in a little snowplay and sledding. Had such a good time, Dylan talks about going back every day.... literally.



Okay, that's my little update... I'll post the other two pics for the show soon! Bye for now!

Santa was here!

working...working...
We had a few family members over for Christmas Eve, and this dude was posted right outside of the door as people were leaving that night. We always have the freakiest things waiting outside, ready to leap into the house.

St. Nick brought Bodie a Quad. He's not so into it yet... instead he's always wanting to ride with big brother in his new ride...


I hope you all had a really great Holiday. I know the Carrillo's sure did. Back in April or May Dyl & I were watching youtube videos of Lightening Mcqueen when we stumbled across a little vid of the power wheels car. Dylan got all flustered, started to stutter and freak out..."I I I need that. I HAVE to have that!" I've never heard him act that way before or since. At the time I told "well maybe Santa will bring it if you're a good boy", thinking we could totally do that. Well then the economy and Mike's work went into the shitter. But Dylan had faith... Santa was bringing him that car. He talked about it incessantly. But the fact was, there was just no way to do it for him this year. We had kind of resigned ourselves to the fact that we would be spewing out the words of the 'old man' in A Christmas Story when Ralphie says he "almost" got everything he wanted..."Well, that's life". But then the real Santa's in our lives stepped up and made it happen. Thank you Mom & Dad, and Nana & Pops for making a little boys dream come true!

'Tis the Season

I'm working on art for an upcoming show called "Pin It Up Babycakes" at the Minna Gallery in San Francisco in February. I'll try to post a few images soon. But until then... here are a few of the things going on here.

The boys are excited for Santa's arrival. Dylan wants the Jolly guy to bring him a Lightening McQueen Power Wheels car. He's got this whole scenario in his head that he talks about all the time. He's going to pick up his friend Shannon, and take her for a cruise up to the mountains in his Lightening McQeen car so they can make snow angels. He says he'll be driving too fast and Shannon will be telling him "Slow down Dylan! Slow down!"
Bodie's just kind of along for the ride this year. He's excited over everything, but is more interested in seeing how many ornaments he can bust up before the tree goes away. Ya gotta love Captain Adorable.

This past Wednesday the storm blew in a few inches of snow to our neck of the woods. Dylan and I stayed outside until 9 that night playing and having snowball fights with the neighbors. I love the cold weather! It totally puts you in the spirit of the Season.



And here are some other things that put me in the spirit. People in Yucaipa love to do it up at Christmas time. There are some serious light shows around our neighborhood. These are two of my favs. This guy and his two neighbors have lights EVERYWHERE and they have a radio station that you tune into while the lights flash around in sync to the holiday tunes. It's really cool. Plus the guy has the Grinch on one end of his roof...

... and Jack Skellington on the other. Last year he had a snow machine in Jack's bag that would go off occassionally. They also invite people to drop off canned food for the needy... and invite people to join them for hot cocoa. It's really something to see in person.

And then there's the people who decorate their house up like "A Christmas Story". They have Ralphie in his bunny suit in one window, the awesome leg lamp up in another, and Flick stuck to the flag pole with a huge sign reading "I Triple Dog Dare Ya" out front. Great job Yucaipa!

And last week was the amazing Riverside Art Museum opening of Jeff Soto's "Turning in Circles"
Jeff's the nicest guy ever, and I can't really explain how proud we all are of what he's done. If you're anywhere near the area.... GO!

The almighty Sotofish balloon out front...

Me and Jennifer Soto.

Jeff addresses the crowd, thanking everyone for being there...

This installation is insane beyond words....

a small fragment of that installation...



The wonderful thing about Jeff's work is looking around at all the details and texture and just falling in love with every inch of it.


One of his earlier pieces...


Jennifer, Shannon and Michael...

Me, Jeff and Travis "Buckle" Chatham! Art Center REPREZENT
It was great fun seeing faces I haven't seen in a long time. Not only Buckle, but also the Clayton Brothers. Also, Lola, and Nathan... I forgot to take a picture of you guys... it was so great to meet you in person finally!

An Amazing display of talent, well done Mr. Soto!!!!